Moving on... to a new site at WordPress.

I've basically abandoned this site due to the way it's degenerated back to html markup for a test editor. Interested viewers can now find me at www.forsythkid.com

Democratic Governors and Mayors are cheats and crooks!

Please visit me at www.taneyweather.com

What is going on?

During a pandemic, such as was occurring on planet earth in 2020, understanding 'what's going on' is kinda important. Those adept at risk analysis, need certain bits of data to aid them in decision pertaining to movements and things they might want to engage in on any given day. For example, let one consider the tail of two cities; NYC versus Forsyth Missouri. One site has a population of over eight million while the other is under two thousand. As of October the 12th, NYC has had 34,342 cases of Covid with 3,183 deaths. Forsyth, on the other hand... well, no one knows. The Health Department in my County, while sort of keeping a tab on county cases, does not publish anything on a town by town basis. Why?

In NYC, citizens have about a 4% chance of catching the virus with a very small percentage actually dying from it. That information, updated daily, can be valuable for someone in determining the level of risk they want to endure when going out on any given day. If the number of those getting infected were to rise for whatever reason, that could be very useful to know. As it is currently, I'd certainly want to exercise social distancing , masks and washing of the hands on a daily basis. But, is that also the case in Forsyth Mo?

Taney County, Missouri, supports a population of about 56K. Forsyth, a town in Taney, has about 2600. Now while I've heard rumors of people getting sick and even dying, that's all they are - rumors! To date, Taney County has had a morality count of 38 with an infected count of about 1100 since January 1. This works out to an infected rate of 1.2% overall, with an equally small number of percentage deaths at .07% for the year. Yet, even with such tiny figures, local citizens are wearing masks like there was no tomorrow. Is that even very sane, I wondered?

Every day, each of us incurs some risk as we go about living our lives. That's just part of the game. We drive cars even as there is a definite risk in doing so. 'Considering deaths in the U.S. that year totaled slightly less than 2.6 million, the individual American driver's odds of dying as a result of an injury sustained in an automobile crash (which include pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists involved in car crashes) come out to about 1 in 77!' That's many degrees higher than getting Covid-19, and yet we do it anyway without a thought!' Each day one of us out of ever 77 could get hurt with some even dying! Think about that one common thing we do when compared to the one in 1 in 100,000 odds per day for the virus! Everyone needs to think very hard and then place the virus pretty far down the risk ladder, where it belongs!

Whoever said...

Just asking for a friend....

Where are we headed, America?

The America I knew growing up is completely gone! That's not an opinion, that's a fact. Today, in October 2020, our represenitive and Constitutional Republic is lagging behind in a fight that was begun decades ago, by a cadre of evil individuals on the Left. That's conjecture, it too is a fact. Individuals who have been in office for decades, who have grown fat on Americans at American expense now want it all. They desire that last sexual hump on the rear end of a dying cow...

After the November election, anyone who might feel that things will get back to normal, will see that vision is a falsehood. You see, the Left has done its job a little too well. They have poisoned our schools, diluted our citizens power with illegal aliens and genderfied those who never want to become such.

Beginning this coming fall will be the introduction of Hell on earth, I do believe. Large increases in civilian deaths, wars, pestulence and great suffering. That is the end game for the Left, the Marxists and the morally bankrupt.

Amid all this sadness, Americans will utimately get a really good look at puure evil in the forms of individuals like, Biden, Harris, Pelosi and countless others, who have made a once great country, their personal trust of power.

So, I bid adieu to the Great Experiment in freedom. A flickering light that lasted but for a moment, before being swallowed up by darkness, once again.

On risk assessment and the Covid-19 threat!

Since it's introduction from China, at the start of the year 2020, the Covid-19 virus earned a place in history as one of the most disruptive contagions since the 1918 swine flu.

Note here that I used the word 'disruptive' as opposed to 'deadly'. That's because after all the hoopla and haze surrounding the virus has finally dissapated, it turns out that a Coronavirus class viron just isn't all that scary!

True. The a virus can kill, and often does. Just look at the world's long history with the flu virus... There was an estimated 50 million who perhished in the 1918 Influenza pandemic!

Influenza outbreaks, even today, is a highly contagious respiratory illness that is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Approximately 9% of the world's population is affected annually, with up to 1 billion infections, 3 to 5 million severe cases, and 300,000 to 500,000 deaths each year.'

Nine percent of the American population, of about 350 million people, works out to be about 3,150,000 infected! This disease results, typically, in about 30K to 60K deaths...(It's hightly variable due to manny factors including how the death certificates were prepared). In the US, about 3 million die of some kind of problem each year, with heart disease and caner leading the pack in a significant manner.

Now, let's look at the Covid-Sars-2 virus, which has killed 210,000 in 2020, acording to a John Hopkins ongoing study. A closer examination, however, reveals that the vast majority of those whose deathes were attributed to Covid actually sucumbed to one or more so-called 'comorbidities'. That is to say, other complications, of which heart disease, obesity, and diabetes are currently the big three when it comes to biting the dust. One, or all three, can act in a syngestic manner to bring down older people with weakened immune systems.

Now, for anyone to say that Covid was not serious, would be wrong. It is bringing down citizens of age, who have other problems, in significant numbers. This group of people does need to be concerned and they need to take protective meassures for the forseeable future. That said, anyone who is in good health, under the age of 65 and who then acquires the virus, need not have a very great concern. 98% of these folks will recover just fine, with a bonus of having acquired some immunity as a result. Ergo, in a tough world where where stuff happens all the time, this bug ain't all that much... Truthfully, had no media outlet told us about Covid-Sars-2 (the bugs actual title), much of the Nation would have shrugged past nine months as a really tough flu season. We would have gone forward with out the lockdowns, the trillions lost, the depressions and sucicides in a relatively 'normal' fashion...

What did actually happen, was the politicalization of this virus, as a device used by the Left to divide and to conquer. Saul Alinski was once quoted that they (Socialists) must never let a good crisis go to waste. The Left, if nothing else, paid attention. The resulting chaos that was generated, by the hysterical outpourings of a corrupt mass media, was all that was needed to really turn the tide for them for the coming elections. Their motto; 'Point out a problem the Left generated, make them afraid of it and then blame the other Party for the problem'. (I don't think even Chuck Schumer could have put it better than that)!

So, am I accusing elements of the Deep State and China for intentionally upsetting the apple cart for poliutical and global gains. Heavens no! I'll let you, the reader judge for yourselves...

The problem with bar stools for us men!

On a recent Sunday, I was at a local bar when a customer fell over backwards while seated on a standard bar stool. Unfortunately, he his his head and was subsequently transported to an emergency care center. This was the second time I'd witnessed such an event over the years. In both cases the accident involved males and that got me to wondering why...

When the incident occurred, eye witnesses told me that the individual was draining a drink with his head positioned backwards with one arm (holding the glass) raised up over his mouth. This got me to thinking along the line of center of mass and stability.

First of all, the center of mass for most girls is lower to the hips, while the center of mass in boys is much higher, more near the chest. Thus while sitting in a bar stool, the apparent center of a man's weight is likely centered more near the top of the back of the chair. Even if he is just sitting there, doing nothing, the stool is more unstable than it would be with a similar sized woman. I would call this state conditionally unstable. It would required some effort for another to topple a male backwards, but it could be done. Now contrast that some one with their arms resting on a bar with another person with their head tilted back and one arm raised up near the head. Suddenly the overall stability has gone into an absolute unstable situation where very little force is required to to the man and his chair backwards...

On the question of collusion!

Here in America, one Party seems to be for a continuation of the great experiment that is our Constitutional Representative Republic, while the other side seems for some form of socialism, up to and including communism! Meanwhile, the Chinese Marxist government has made it no secret of their desire for world domination...Hmm

Now, consider a scenario where elements of the far Left and the Chinese government actively collude to bring about massive global change. Changes that would be agreeable to both entities if properly pulled off. A way that would see a very few controlling all the masses. Here in the United Socialist States, one might conjecture that it might be individuals like Schumer and Pelosi. Over in China it would likely be Xi Jinping along with his various henchmen. Perhaps America could eventually be a satellite and a servant of China with the Yen the default international currency? Yes, I know this is pure speculation on my part, but questions still remain, don't they?

Even assuming that the previous thought was remotely possible, what then would be the chances of China intentionally releaseing a virus that would create global crisis? Isn't that exactly what the Democrats have done here with their promotion of violence via Antifa and BLM? How would both be exploited for maximum effect? These are just a few questions circulating around my empty head this day.... And then, the POTUS comes down with the virus..... Wow!

My predictions for the Trump-Biden debate Sep 29!

At 8PM CST, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami Florida will host the first of three Presidential debates. This time around, it will be hosted by Chris Wallace from Fox news. It is likely to be one of the most watched 90 minute debates in history.

Pitted against one another will be a man who has been pounding the rally trail for months versus another man who has spent the majority of that time in his bunker at his home!

One man has a rather enviable track record of accomplishments over the past three and a half years while the other has little to show for 47 years in public office.

One man shut down the the country in late January, knowing it was going to hurt the economywhile the other was encouraging international travel to continue.

One man is a veritable attack dog while the other seems very confused at times.

One man has elevated the lifesytles of millions of blacks, Hispanic, Asians and Latinos while the other has no track record of doing very much even as VP to Obama for over eight years.

One man is a proven leader while the other hides behind distortions, parsed speech and outright lies! One man, Donald Trump deserves another four years while the other, Joe Biden, deserves a good care center.....

The bottom line. This won't be a debate at all....it will be a free for all.

Update: I was not counting on the moderator taking sides...

Perhaps the only solution to climate change!

Climate change.... Is it really real? Yes, of course it is. Geologically earth's climate has always been changing. At one point, about 715 million years ago, the entire globe was thought to be encased in snow and ice. Yes, that's just how strange things can get. Yet, that is not what most climate change enthusiasts are concerned about in 2020. They want to know what can be done now to get the earth back to a more 'normal condition' whatever that is. I'll take a stab and say they want to reduce the average global temperature... 'Averaged as a whole, the global land and ocean surface temperature for March 2020 was 1.16°C (2.09°F) above the 20th century average of 12.7°C (54.9°F) and the second highest in the 141-year record.'

Today, many younger citizens here in the US, are clamoring for our government to drastically change our carbon footprint, in the belief that if we can get to 'carbon zero' thing would improve the global temps over their lifetimes. That is, assuming that all the other countries would do likewise. Good luck with that! The truth is that some other major countries like India and China are bring coal-fired generators online as fast as they can.

Fact: 'Nearly two million metric tons of fuelwood and charcoal are consumed each day, in developing countries. That's about one kilogram, daily, for every man woman and child. That's also pumping a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which aids in the cause of greenhouse conditions.'

So, the thing is, if we are going to significantly lower the global average temperatures by even a degree Celsius, we will have to work very closely together....and... that simply is not going to happen. If you happen to listen in on a session of the United Nations, that will clue anyone in on just how big the problem of getting even a few countries to agree on much of anything anything... So, what would be a viable alternative?

In my opinion, there is only one possible solution that could effect rapid change... The mass killing of billions of souls. Ideally, the world's current population of 7.8 billion souls would have to be cut in half! Am I being serious? Yes, I am. And the task of reducing said population needs to happen quickly, if anyone alive or even their kids will ever see any improvements. Could this even be done with a willing population? No. Aside from the ethical considerations, there would remain the shear logistics of disposing of billions of dead and rotting bodies. Think about having to kill one hundred thousand or so every day for a year! How could you do this? Perhaps a lottery of some kind where you have a 50% chance of survival? Even if everyone agreed to stretch this process out by 25 years, that would still mean 4000 or so could receive their 'checkout ticket' each day. I somehow do not think that would work out very well. I know I would fight to live!

Yet, consider the possibility that China (along with members of the Deep State) have already come out with a rather clever plan – Today's reality is that they have managed to kill just under one million thus far this year with one single 'unintentionally released' virus – aka Covid-19. And, maybe they have other even more potent viruses on the way, just waiting in the wings... Yes, a spirited enough campaign with a witches brew of deadly viruses could get the job done over just one decade, place China firmly in charge of the world with the Socialist States of America reduced to satellite status.

For a twisted and black spin on these thoughts, please see the series Utopia.

Banned from Face Book for three days!

Just recently I posted the words 'shoot them'! This was in response to another post depicting elements of antifa and BLM gangs who were out trashing yet another city will beating in the heads of store owners who were trying to protect their businesses. I sincerely meant what I said. The police have an obligation to protect people under assault with and including lethal force! This opinion, apparently, is not followed by the censorship bureau at Face Book. One can almost get the idea that this social site approves of violence as a means to an end. One could even accept the concept that Mark Zuckerberg is all in when it comes to bigotry, racial divisonism and socialistic group think. Seriously Mark?

So, I was suspended for a month over that comment. But, was I mad? Not really. Especially when I consider just how far off the rails the Left-leaning social sites like Facebook, Google and Twitter have become. They seem to have developed the concept that you can say anything, only so long as it fits their concept of correctness. Well, I'm sorry. I'm not always 'correct', what I am is truthful. 

In the coming weeks, I fully expect the noose around the collective necks of American citizens to become ever more tight as the Democrats make one last push to collapse our Republic. Whether we submit meekly or fight tyranny will be the true question of this Nations morality and heart.

Chicken pot pies. Good or bad?

 

Ever since I can remember, I've eat the venerable chicken pot pies from either Swanson or Marie Calendar. These easy to fix meals are a snap to prepare, hot and very filling. they're often my fist choice when shopping the frozen dinner isle at about $1.30. But, are they all that good for you to eat on a regular basis?

Here's both of these meals from a nutritional standpoint;

From most standpoints, both pies are very similar, and so both share some troubling statistics. The worst, in my opinion, is the salt content followed quickly by the saturated fats. This is a combo that can be tolerated by the young, but which can do a real number on older folks who might need to watch both intakes...

From a taste standpoint, I'd give a nod to the Swanson product over the offering from Marie Calendar. From a strictly health standpoint I'd treat them the same way I treat most McDonald's food - eat just every so often!

DanO's Grand Slam breakfast! Sort of...

 My idea of a great breakfast is actually a takeoff on Denny's famous Grand Slam meal. Instead of the pancakes, I subbed two slices of french toast along with two sausage links and a glass of milk!

In case you've never made French Toast, the process is very simple. Just add 2 eggs to a bowl, add a bit of milk, whisk it all together, soak a couple pieces of bread in that mix and cook in a frying pan over low medium heat. That's it. Add a pat of butter and some syrup and you've got a done deal!

This quick prep meal is a real winner in my book, and at about 600 calories, it's certainly filling!

Bean with Bacon soup!

If there was ever one soup I was very sure I wouldn't like, that'd be Bean with bacon. That belief persisted right up to my fifties when, one day, my dad made up a batch. I was astonished at how good and filling this soup was!

Biden's grand plan for climate change!

Biden is currently absolutely positive that a mere ten trillion investment, made over the next ten years, will have a dramatic effect on climate change. He doesn't mention the small facts that both India and China are both raging ahead with coal burning generation plants that will easily offset any US efforts by at least tenfold!

Embracing AOC's Green New Deal will also guarantee that America goes back to being energy dependent on countries that really hate us. What we can look forward to; offshore drilling - to be stopped, coal mining - to be cut way back, Fracking - no f'ing way, Jose! In their place, it'll be dams, windmills and large solar farms! (You know like the Solyndra plan that went bankrupt under Obama and Biden....

Seriously, there is no problem that the Democrats can't screw up even more, then by throwing boatloads of money at. Here's the Big Five from the previous administration....

Now, as to the fires we're all witnessing on the West Coast. The truth is that some of the problems are due to climate change. But, that change is a natural part of the world's climate not being the same decade after decade. The other part of the forest fire problems has been  directly linked to a massive failure, by the Democrats, to not manage those areas properly over the past 50 years! (Also, the fact that people are intentionally setting fires isn't helping very much). Just as in the exploitation of the Covid disease, the Democrats could not resist blowing that crisis up via Party sponsored arsonists...

So, that seems to be Joe's game plan for November; 1) keep the people afraid of a virus and 2) plumping everyone up to waste trillions on a long term problem that they, in fact, neglected for decades.

Amid all the distractions that's been 2020, I hope people will start asking the Democrats for some realistic Party planks..... Sadly, that will not happen - Their sole 'plank' is to hate Trump.

Our Nation is at war!

 

Labor Day weekend takes!

Labor Day Weekend is here! Wow! Did any summer ever go by so smoothly? Just kidding. I guess, this year has done a real number on millions of Americans. And, please do not forget where that horrible virus originated. Here's some takes I had looking back:

1) Citizens can no longer trust anyone! Period! Do so at your own risk!

2) Elements of the Far left Democratic Party are trying to destroy America in order to turn it into satellite of China!

3) China is most definitely our enemy, not our friend! Never forget that.

4) Media outlets like CNN and MSNBC are colluding with elements of the Deep State to destroy our Republic!

5) Russia, with a tiny GDP similar to Italy, is not a real player on the World Stage. The US and China are.

6) Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization.

7) BLM is a domestic terrorist organization.

8) Mail-in voting fraud is happening right now! Joe just might win with 400 million votes cast for his Party!

9) The Coronavirus has been largely overblown!

10) Epstein did not kill himself! Duh

The role fear is playing in today's politics!

'The universal trigger for fear is the threat of some kind of harm harm, real or imagined. This threat can be for our physical, emotional or psychological well-being. While there are certain things that trigger fear in most of us, some can learn to become afraid of nearly anything.'

Today, in late 2020, fear has certainly done a number not just on the US, but on the entire world! And that fear can be traced to just one Country. China, when it 'accidentally' released a horrific virus. As a result of either sheer stupidity or malicious intent, the fortunes of millions have been destroyed. Sure, the Coronavirus may or may not have been engineered in a Wuhan bio-research facility, it may have or may not have been a containable contagion early on in December 2019... But what is becoming clearer, every day, is that it's killing has done the Chinese government a very great service... My estimate of the actual numbers of dead in China would be something like just under a million. (That million being very expendable older folks that a country with 1.5 billion could easily shrug off). And, even that number could be way off. The thing is, the Marxist regime in China doesn't like to publish anything that would reflect poorly on their socialist state. (You know, in exactly the same way that CNN and other Leftist outlets like to 'massage' their news, prior to it being released). And, yes boys and girls, that's really bad news for our Republic.

The thing is, China's gestapo-styled troops always crush any hint of insurrection (See recent news articles on Hong Kong). Here in America, however, we still are clinging to the First Amendment... You know, the one that enables some truth to leak out from time to time. Mass media outlets like Fox News, while not perfect, have at least made an attempt at fair and balanced reporting, while others have not. As a matter of fact, some stations have dropped all pretense of any factual reporting at all when it comes to President Trump! Don't believe me? OK. Here's a test you can perform at home. The next time Trump gives a public White House briefing take some notes then, after he is done, switch over to CNN to see what they report. Amazing right? The channel anchors will lie or distort what he said and they will still manage to keep straight faces even while laughing on the inside. Good acting skills, eh?

The end result of millions of us Americans being fed a diet of garbage while being kept in the dark concerning true news about the virus - (The real news, not the crap everyone is currently being fed) - Has affected way too many of us physically, emotionally and psychologically in ways that can't be easily accessed. Add that fear, watching Democrat inspired terrorist groups like Antifa and BLM trash and burn our cities, and you have lit a very volatile candle that could explode at any time. And yes everyone, a large scale revolution is the true objective of both the Democratic Party and of the Chinese government!

My predictions for September 2020!

Please note that the last time I was anywhere near accurate, it was 1967 and I predicted a heavy snow in Chicago! My prediction turned out to  be a blizzard and so my career in weather forecasting began with a shaky start as many blamed me for the mess.... That aside, her are some random predictions for September!

Biden gets sick! And then...

Poor old Joe catches the Covid-19 virus and is laid up for 8 weeks in his basement under quarantine! He is unable to debate anyone due to a bad case of laryngitis. And while he will get elected President in November, it will be short lived as Biden while die of complications, making Harris the new President.

Chicago burns to the ground! Mayor blames Trump!

In an effort to stem problems with a high death toll happening in her city. Mayor Lightfoot will decide on a policy of serialization. After the city is fully engulfed, she will hold as news conference declaring that Trump was the reason and sole cause of the inferno!

China will announce that the G4 virus has escaped! Oh my!

What will be termed a 'super virus' will somehow escape from China and infect the world. Like the Covid-19 strain, this virus will also be extremely infectious but not very deadly. CNN will take that information and spin it 1280 degrees as being similar to the Captain Trips virus of a Stephen King novel. Tens of millions in the US will panic buy goods and then lock themselves away. The CDC will then publish inflated figures of the sick and dying as we enter into that later parts of the year.

Hurricane hits NYC!

As though NYC didn't already have enough problems, a category 5 hurricane will slam into NYC about mid September.  Governor Cuomo will announce he's going on a long term junket to China while leaving the management of the storm to De Blasio. Millions will flee the city leaving a trail of thousands dead.

BLM and Antifa will merge...literally.

In what has to be one of the strangest announcements ever,  Black Lives Matter and Antifa will announce a joining together in one of the largest gay events ever held in LA. CNN will declare its approval as thousands form a giant pile of humanity bent of fucking each other to death. Some moderates will literally die of laughter.

Finally, Pelosi will take a dive from her podium!

Nancy Pelosi will  arrive at the House to make a speech, but due to a possible state of inebriation, will take a tumble into the seats. As she is taken away, she will announce that she was standing firm for denying Americans much needed relief.

So, it would look like September is going to be a very interesting month, all said!

Kyle Rittenhouse. A hero or a villian?

The evening of Tuesday, August 25 in Kenosha Wisconsin proved to be a political game changer for many. Kyle Rittenhouse, emerged on that stage, in the most dramatic way possible. He capped two and wounded two more, using an AK rifle that fired .223 ammunition. At that moment in time, a Civil War started brewing in earnest.... Now, as time marches on, more and more will be disclosed; about the who, when, where and what actually happened - But, the sure bet right now is that the Left has been reeling backwards on the news of real vigilantism breaking out on the streets they formerly controlled. (Yes, the thugs, BLM and Antifa have been served notice. If you riot, be prepared to die).

The next day, the formal court charging papers detailed six counts that if proven would place the defendant in prison for the rest of his life. And make no mistake, it didn't matter that the two killed were low life's, under the view of the 'law', Kyle was guilty until proven innocent. And even if he beats the rap by proving he was fighting for his life (which he was), you can bet a dollar to a doughnut that the leftist mass media was going to have a field day.

In my view, Kyle is not the real news. If he'd been killed by the mob, it would have been a mere journalistic footnote. The fact that he fought back against a murderous mob of street thugs... Well, that was straight out of a Charles Bronson movie! And, this sort of action will be sure to energize patriots and the militias all across  the continent.

Meanwhile the Democratic Party was also watching, in despair, as Joe Biden's pole numbers plummeted fast that a cleaving iceberg. And, way too late in the game, they began bleating about how bad their kids were acting. Sorry. Too little too late. The kids that were out trying to destroy our Republic had been trained for over 30 years by Liberals planted by the Democratic Party in schools and universities all over the continent! And now, in 2020, they were reaping very bitter fruit indeed.

So, let's all stay tuned to Kyle's pending trial, and the increased violence on our streets, as We the People begin to start firing back!

Time for some of us to get back to normal!

While I'm sure that health officials in NYC and parts of California are stacking Covid-19 victims up in the streets like cord wood, that's just not the case in much of the rest of the United States.

In Taney County, Missouri where I live, there just hasn't been much of a problem with Covid-19. That's if you even believe the 'stats' that are put out. The John Hopkins University, for instance, cites just three dead out of a population of 56K. The Taney County Board of Health, on the other hand, has the county at 16 deaths. Hmm. That's quite a disparity. The differences could be due to the way that various health centers list the cause of death. This is something that I've actually never seen brought up anywhere. Typically, most Covid-19 deaths, in the US, happen in a hospital setting with the attending physician listing the final 'problem' that caused the patient to expire. On the death certificate, there are a number of lines that document other comorbidities or diseases that contributed to the top listed item. So, while a person might have died as a complication caused by the Covid-19 virus, there are often others that lent a helping hand; diabetes, obesity, heart disease and the like. The bottom line is that Covid-19 is really just another risk factor that people already at risk must cope with. For the healthy and especially for the young, the entire mess that's been the Nation's reaction to this disease has been greatly overblown, in my opinion.

Living your everyday life is a risk assessment situation, from the time you arise, to the time you go to sleep later in any given day. The true risks each person faces is dependent on a host of temporal, geographical and career based choices. Obviously, a twenty year old working in Wyoming in an office enjoys a lot less risk, then say a 58 year old working at construction in the heart of a large city! Either way there always is some rick of dying for each of us, all day and every day... Some have more and some less.

That's been the way of the world for millennia. That is, until just recently with the advent of mass communication via the mass media. Just as soon as a politician got the idea of using a crisis for political gain, the real games were on! That's precisely what we are seeing with this viral non-event event. Had no one been told to be afraid, we likely would have gone on and paid little to no attention. That's what happened in other countries that decided it wasn't a big deal. Sweden did just fine and without a lock down! I'm betting we could have done the same just by employing social distancing and making sure to wash our hands. These are both good practices, even in a year with low disease rates.

What pandemic? All I'm seeing is control!

While I'm sure that many are dying of the Covid-19 virus, I'm not so sure that the significance of this disease hasn't been blown way out of proportion!

Note that the chart above is from March 2020. (There are none I could find that were closer to August. Perhaps it's beyond the abilities of health organizations to track and report...)  But, assuming things are progressing pretty much along the same lines... One can see that, in the pecking order of all things nasty, the Covid-19 virus ain't all that much.

So, why all the hype? Why the social distancing, hand washing and mask wearing going on seven months? The best I can determine is that this little virus dude became a weaponized political football early in the game! The Democrats, in particular, realized that they could play the mail-in voter fraud thing to a much larger degree than what would have been possible before people were scared shitless of leaving their homes. (When you can keep a populace afraid, you can control that group to a great extent). Ergo, the Left leaning mass media continues to spread fear while some useful idiot groups are merrily burning cities, for good measure. But, could this effort totally backfire on Biden come November?

Even now, some of the more moderate Democratic leaders are sounding the alarm that things ain't quite right at the old DNC as far as pole number are going. It turns out that many moderate Democrats and fence riders are just as appalled at the extreme Left's actions, as the rest of the Conservatives all across the Nation! (It seems that when someone burns down a business, that it's taken a Democratic family a lifetime to build, well let's say they're not very happy campers).

Couple this spreading unhappiness, while thugs like the BLM and Antifa are bashing in grannie's head... While, coping with a lackluster candidate in Joe Biden... While witnessing historic increases in the stock market and lots of Democrats may be taking a hard right at the worst possible time!

A scrambled egg kind of day!

Scrambled eggs with bacon and milk was what was on tap for a cloudy Thursday in August. Even as I had reached a good weight for my age and height, I remained a bit conservative when it came to food.

The nutritional side of the meal came in at 380 calories with protein at 26 grams and the carbs at a mere 5! This meal tastes great while also being a low carb - high protein dieters dream!

A hot dog on a bun instead of a steak?

One day, through no fault of your own, you find yourself on a low or fixed income. All of a sudden, you find yourself with less coming in and more going out! Suddenly, you've become a person on a budget with food topping the list of must have categories.

That has been my circumstance, for some time. And, when it comes to grocery shopping, I've become smarter than I used to be! I've given up high priced items such as steak for much less expensive hot dogs and such. In a recent post on Forsythbiz, I displayed the results of my often eaten foods in the form of a report. At a cost of a little over a twenty dollar bill, I got a lot of good stuff. Perhaps that's why that store is called Save A Lot (duh).

Area Save A Lot has much to offer!

Forsyth MO. -  One of the two main grocery stores, located at 142 Main St, in Forsyth, MO,has a lot to offer... in the way of savings! I decided to shop this store mainly due to the fact that I wasn't going to get a lot of angry stares from other customers as I choose to not wear a mask. To my great surprise, the cost of food I like to eat was much lower than the other store! Below is an example, of the cost of some goods on this date. I will definitely be shopping there more often!

 

 

And so, the stampede begins!

As Democratic run cities continued to burn while rioters loot and hurt citizens, tens of thousands were fleeing cities in search of 'better and safer' conditions. Some Mayors of liberal nests seemed unfazed. (See the article where Mayor De Blasio even told his NYC citizens, basically good riddance). The question in the minds of many is, 'just how many millions would become displaced into small towns that could ill afford to take care of them'?

While my small town in southwest MO., had not yet been highly impacted, I feel that it was only a question of time before individuals began to arrive from bankrupt and 'war torn' locations to try and settle into our area where they would might not really be welcome. The virus, which has devastated much of America, has often rendered jobs a very scarce commodity. 

I would hope that ultra liberal states, like Michigan and Oregon, would open their arms wide to receive the tens of thousands of members of groups like antifa, BLM and other communist revolutionaries, while leaving the heartland of America pretty much alone. After all, Michigan, isn't that the Progressive thing to do?

Social distancing and face masks!

 Ever since the advent of the scourge, aka the copronavirus virus from China, the world has gone into a head spin after getting charged up by a hyper media blitz. And. today in August 2020, people all over are dressing up like play surgeons appearing on TV. Everything from face masks, goggles, shields and even disposable gloves are de rigor. And is all this based on real science? Well, partially, but like so much else coming from politically charged outlets like CNN, there is also quite a bit of hype. So, here are a few opinions from this individual;

1) While the virus from Wuhan China is exceptionally contagious, it is also not very severe. At least, not to individuals are in good health and under the ago of 70. If you happen to be older and also suffer from any of the big three; diabetes, obesity or heart related disease, then I would encourage those individuals to practice PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) no matter where they mighty live in the US. Getting sick, for that group of citizens, could prove fatal.

2) Excepting those restraints in #1, I would encourage younger and healthy individuals to perform a risk assessment as to where they live in the United States. Hanging out in NYC, for instance, would require as much social distancing and PPE as you could afford. Those in Wyoming, however were virtually no infections are seen so pretty much carry on as usual. You can visit the John Hopkins University site to get a quick overview of the hot spots right down to the County level.

3) Cold spots, like Taney County Mo., do not pose much of a threat as having 5 deaths over seven months is simply statistically insignificant. And there's even a positive if you do catch the bug and recover. You will very likely be immune for some years to that variety of coronavirus and as you wander about will create a human barrier between the virus and those susceptible to catching it. It's what is known as herd immunity.

So, that's it. Check out where you live. Take the acceptable actions you feel will work, and then live your life. Whatever you do, however, don't allow a group of politically left-leaning individuals in the media or in government to try and frighten you into mindless obedience. For instance, while I was shopping at a local grocery store this day, it was easy to notice the reactions of mask wearing individuals who either looked at me in a disapproving fashion or who attempted to quickly distance themselves from me. That wasn't science IO was watching, that was raw fear. Fear put into their minds by cold-hearted left wing nut jobs who likely couldn't even spell the word science.

Dems pull out all the stops!

As we turn the corner going in to the last few month before the Nov 3rd election cycle. Attempts by the Left to railroad the results were swinging into high gear!

Voter fraud via mail in ballots, is currently showing up in many key swing states. This non partisan effort to employ easily corrupted mail-in ballots, was a key part of the Democrats corrupt strategy to try and steal the 2020 election. Early on, in 2020, it was apparent that the Left was going to milk the Covid-19 virus for all it was worth. (After all, a key concept of that Party is to never waste a crisis).

In connection to the virus, the Democrats have employed the time tested method of dragging their feet whenever and where ever possible. As a result, I feel that they have been instrumental in the deaths to tens of thousands who might otherwise have survived.

For his part, candidate Joe Biden is staying out of the public eye as much as possible. (Even the few brief televised appearances made it very plain that Joe is suffering from rapidly progressing dementia). And Joe, you will remember, was the best candidate out of a very large group of Presidential contenders early on, in the selection process... At least he was the only one that wasn't calling for an outright switch to full socialism. (A concept he is now fully endorsing along with gun confiscation, open borders and more extreme ideas).

To add to a feeling of an episode of living in the Twilight Zone, the mass media seems to be on a mission to erase history, twist everything the Right puts out and to outright lie at every turn if events do not fit their skewed narratives.

Caught in the middle of everything, are good and decent Democrats and Republicans, who are literately watching their cities burn. Those who endorse antifa and BLM are traitors, in my view. We seem to have allowed a very corrupt and evil group of individuals to divide us for ever more.

This is not what the media wants to show!

While the people who are uneducated concerning viral outbreaks worry over the increased number of new cases (due to increased testing and media coverage), those in the know only watch the rate of new deaths! That number, be it rising or falling, is the true indicator of how the disease is progressing.

Above is a graph through May 30 (the latest compiled figures) that shows the rapid rates for death and then the equally dramatic drop in the rate of death, in the US, from combined loses due to influenza, pneumonia and Covid-19. Note that even back in May of 2020, the rate of death was approach the normal baseline. This is information that the fake media does not want to get out!

A darkness creeps over the land!

If one thing could be said about the United States, these past few years, it would be wow! Ever since the election of Donald Trump to office in 2016 the country has been on a roller coaster. Even with the combined might of the mass media and the Democratic Party, great strides were made on many fronts. Unemployment among blacks were at a historic low. Women, of all color, saw impressive gains in hourly wages and salaries. Historic trade mistakes were corrected with a resultant flow of money into the US, not out of it. It was as though as light had been turned on in a room that had been dark for eight long years. America was back and stronger than ever!

Then, January of 2020 happened. It was an elections year and almost as if on que, things began to unravel due to the China virus. The Left and the Media say this as the perfect opportunity to unseat Trump in November. Rather than rally around the flag, the Left choose to weaponize the Covid-19 virus with daily assaults and second guessing the President actions. The result, predictably, was chaos. Trillions were spent just to keep the economy afloat as things got worst under a fog of fear perpetrated by the Democrats and an all too willing mass media. The light that was, was no more.

Now with August, just around the corner, the rhetoric has been turned up even higher with calls for more shock troops like BLM and Antifa to go out to burn, trash and hurt Democratic run cities. The message was very clear. Elect Biden or there will be more of the same! Then, there was the spreading of fear....

Fear is one of the biggest motivators that there is, and the Democratic Party's 'machine of doom and gloom' ramped up into full gear as the summer arrived. No longer interested in the spreading of only misinformation, the Democrats unleashed a smorgasbord of outright lies that blamed Trump for just about anything and everything. When the Nation needed a level headed approach, which Trump provided, the Left attempted to convince the public that somehow Trump was completely to blame, even as the Governor of NY lead older people to almost certain death in elderly homes and subways...

Fear was also the hallmark of what happened after George Floyd was killed by offices on May the 25th in Minneapolis. What started as a justified protest, saw even the burning down of protesters places of business (WTF). Very quickly, (after Antifa forces were already in place before Floyd's death), they hijacked the movement and turned it into a ongoing terrorist action. Other groups of terrorists were also bused into other cities to light more fires, to spread more fear and to divide more people. And, I would lay at the feet, of all who were hurt, the Democratic Party and their bitches, aka CNN and MSNBC.

So, American voters do have a choice. They can move in a conservative direction the brings the hope of light, freedom and prosperity.... or they can move the other way. November will be the tell all.

Hiedies restaurant in Taneyville!

Taneyville Mo. - As the number of restaurants continued to shrink due to the virus, I found myself exploring new venues that were further afield.

A friend of mine opined that Hiedies located off Hwy 76 in Taneyville might be something for me to try. Their breakfast menu had one or two offerings that I found interesting;

At left, I noticed that they offered a 'Country Platter' that looked similar to an item offered by the now closed Long Horn Family Dining. With coffee, I was guessing that this meal-a-deal would come in at about ten dollars. That fit my budget and so I planned to stop there in the near future and to give them a try. I'll publish an update here when I do.

Three crosses.

The Forsyth Missouri City Council decided on 7/22 to require face masks be worn at all times. No end date was set for this ordinance! Why? I have no clue other than the exercise of political power or the spreading of fear. Whatever the reason, the net effect will be to further kill local business while having little, to no effect, on saving lives. As of July 23, Taney County Missouri had a total of only three deaths since the start of January! This out of a population of 56K.

The next viral wave? Yes! It's coming to a town near you!

One aspects of life in America will be the coming of the fall viral wave, whether it's imaginary or not. 

I'm very sure that the Democrats, in conjunction with media outlets like CNN and MSNBC, are even now putting the finishing touches on scripts that will be designed to intimidate millions of Americans this conning fall. When one thinks about it, it's almost too hard to pass up.

What we're talking about is real power to change not only the outcome of the November elections, but to also to have the Democrats tighten an already secure grip of fear over the citizens of a 'formerly' great Republic.

No matter how large or insignificant the influenza and Covid-19 resurgence might be, the left leaning media will surely paint its arrival with a very broad brush stroke. Rumors (started by them) will likely abound. Schools will remain closed, the economy will begin to tank with renewed vigor and the Democrats will be quietly celebrating the destruction of a Nation.

Is this some wild theory of mine? Not really, as the forces of evil are out and about even on this day! They're doing their best to be a wrecking ball for the economy. (You see the worse off everyone is, the more likely it will be that a man with true dementia will be elected President on November the 4th). Want proof?

Beginning in August, figures that are part of the deep state (aka Pelosi, Nadler, Schumner et al) will begin to really ramp up their doom and gloom forecasts (if that's even possible). And, what's this? Almost magically, there will be rumors coming out of China of yet another accident! Everyone will panic while thinking, 'Gee, what a coincidence!'

Taco smolocko! It's what I likeo!

For this very humble soul, a good homemade taco IS a tiny taste of heaven, while also being fairly nutritious!

As everyone has a favorite style of taco, I prefer a soft flour fajita such as those made by Mama Lupe, (each 31 gram circle bringing about 90 calories to the game). As for the fillings, I prefer; taco meat, chopped lettuce, black olives, chopped green onions, Mexican styled shredded cheese and a good medium hot salsa! I like to prepare the meat ahead of time and then refrigerate it. Likewise, most of the other ingredients are setup in small containers that are ready to go when I'm ready to go throw everything all together..

Preparation consists of a quick nuke job on the fajita and meat (1 minute 45 seconds on high), a small amount of each of the other ingredients, and I'm off to the races! Total calories at about 145, but who's counting? You know, a great taco is like an awesome woman. Warm and soft with just a touch of heat, and very satisfying to … well, you know what I mean.

Here's your new place rioters!

The Solution! I understand that ANTIFA and BLM  is in desperate need of a place to occupy. For a solution I would propose Alcatraz Island.

After naming the island as a 'nation' with a name like Mugamuga and branding it a nation with terrorist intentions, I would like to see a very high wall built with just one entrance. The military would be in charge of said border with order to shoot to kill anyone trying to make it into the US. Additionally an impenetrable blockade of ships would be put in place to ensure 'domestic tranquility'.

Supplies would be air dropped in with each 'citizens' name clearly marked on the package. Other than that all other needed items would have to be traded for just as with any other country. Perhaps Mugamuga could offer a supply of urine and feces, for whatever that would be worth...

Then, after everyone who wanted to belong and who had denounced their citizenship were all settled in, perhaps we could introduce some 'special' people into the mix. These would be the most sick and demented people we now have in our prison system, and at great cost, to the average taxpayer. This arrangement should make for a lively time and I'm sure that some in San Francisco might even hear them 'partying' during the overnight hours.

A couple of thoughts on guns and the coming class wars.

Apparently many Americans are fearful concerning events that are happening around them these days. As, when that occurs, many head for the nearest gun store and stock up on firearms and ammo. 

I've visited or called a few area gun stores only to see and hear that firearms, especially handguns, are in great demand. One store near where I live, known as Doc Holiday, was down to only a handful of firearms in a display case that could hold hundreds. Ammunition was also 'flying off the shelves' according to one store worker....

 Sales nationwide were overwhelming as the FBI conducted 3.7 million background checks last month, the highest total since the national instant check system was launched in 1998! Yes, individuals are certainly arming up...But, for what?

There are three good reasons to own a gun;  hunting game, target practice, and self defense. Where I live in southwest Missouri, we have a good number of individuals who like to hunt or go out to improve their hunting skills through target practice. And now increasingly, we have citizens who have purchased a gun most likely out of fear. One young lady who works at a bar I go to recently announced that she just purchased a CX4 Storm 9mm handgun. As I listened to her talk about the gun, I couldn't help but wonder if she actually knew how to use it. Perhaps she hoped that should she be attacked, the mere sight of the gun would scare the attacker away. Who knows. But, there are many who buy, religiously carry and enroll in courses of self defense that include day, night and in car scenarios to mention just a few. Tactical training is a must have skill set if one is to both carry a gun and be safe with a gun. Also, understanding the legal implications of using a gun on another person is very important. You shoot a person, even in a clear cut case of self defense and you may still face both civil and legal hurtles in the days to come. So, shoot, but make sure you have a war chest of money, for afterwards.

Lastly, there is a group of people out there, who are buying semi-automatic AR styled rifles. These sort of guns can have all sorts of rails on them to support addons like lasers, flashlights and scopes. And, yes, they can be used for hunting. But, I think in the minds of some, they envision them being used in a civil war of some sort. Or perhaps, fending off hordes of virus crazed and hungry zombies. So, the bigger the caliber the better. Right?  Well, maybe. But remember, in a contracted war of any sort, urban and rural locations will likely devolve into nighttime skirmishes. And, in that type of situation, a 22 caliber target rifle with a night scope can be a real game changer.

A new use for Health Choice steamer baskets!

I've often enjoy eating Healthy Choice Cafe Steamer products as they are great products, but had one problem with those two-part baskets. They always looked like they would be good for another use, yet I never could figure out one. So, over time, they accumulated in my cupboard.

Then, just recently, I had the idea of using a base with two of the baskets to set up an seed incubator. Crude? Yes, but it seemed to work! I used Miracle Gro potting mix, placed on top of a coffee filter as a medium in which to plant some seeds. I thought the coffee filter would work when I eventually transferred the seedlings to a conventional pot.

I'll see how this might work out and will post updates about mid June, when I expect the seeds to germinate.

Comfort Foods: Sloppy Joe

For many years, I've enjoyed making Sloppy Joe's at my home, whenever I got a hankering for a burger with a spicy kick! According to legend, a cook named Joe at Floyd Angell's cafe in Sioux City, Iowa, added tomato sauce to his “loose meat" sandwiches and the “Sloppy Joe" sandwich was born. A popular knockoff is the pulled pork sandwich, if made properly, that is.

Sloppy Joe's have a couple of things going for them that many moms and dads greatly appreciate; 1) they're cheap and 2) they're supper easy to make! I my case, I brown a pound of ground beef, drain the fat, then combine the meat with a cup and a quarter of water, canned tomato paste and one of the many mixes that are to be found at grocery stores everywhere!

A hamburger with Red Robbin Steal fries!

I'm the sort of man who like hamburgers and when I have a hamburger I also like them fries to go with it. As a result, I have often been forced to a fast food joint - you know the places that charge $7 and more! But now I've for an alternative...

While browsing a local grocery outlet name Save A Lot in my town of Forsyth Mo, I happened across a package of Red Robin steak fries and bought one on impulse. This turned out to be a good choice as the product was easy to prepare with a taste very acceptable.

A delicate balance of a few billons tons of water!

Forsyth MO. - For whatever reason (although I'll get into some in future blogs), the two bodies of impounded water controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers could just possibly get into trouble due to both recent and forecast rainfalls. First, some factual information;

[Source – Wikipedia] 'The original purpose of the reservoir was for flood control on the White River. The dam had been authorized a month earlier under the Flood Control Act of September 3, 1943. The reservoir has a fluctuation of 16 feet (4.9 m). When the reservoir is above the maximum flood pool, excess water goes over the auxiliary overflow spillway at the north end of the dam.

Table Rock Dam’s spillway capacity was evaluated as a result of a dam safety program in the 1990s. Using improved weather data and more modern technology and safety requirements, engineers determined that the lake would rise ten feet higher during the worst-case flood than previously calculated. An event of this magnitude would over top the earthen embankment and destroy Table Rock Dam with catastrophic losses in downstream areas, including Branson. To prevent the potential loss of life and property damages, congress approved and authorized construction of the Dam Safety Project. After considering several options and gathering considerable public input, an auxiliary spillway was determined to be the best solution. The auxiliary spillway was completed in 2005 at a cost of approximately $65,000,000.

The worst case scenario of a catastrophic floodwater discharge from Table Rock Lake using the auxiliary floodgates would roughly resemble this:

At elevation 931 Table Rock Lake is at full flood capacity. The ten Tainter gates are opened to accommodate additional lake inflow from the White River Basin including the James River and Beaver Lake discharge.

At elevation 937 Table Rock Lake is 6 feet above flood capacity. The ten Tainter gates are opened wider in an effort to stabilize reservoir rise. Outflow from the Lake under these circumstances will be nearing 200-300 thousand cubic feet per second (CFS).

At elevation 942 Table Rock Lake is 11 feet above flood capacity and at its "design pool", or the maximum elevation that the reservoir is engineered to reach, under "probable maximum flood" scenarios. The dam’s ten Tainter gates will be fully raised to their maximum height of approximately 30 feet letting loose 550 thousand CFS into Lake Taneycomo. This scenario would effectively submerge and destroy the powerhouse, power transmission grid, hatchery, and wreak serious destruction down stream.

At elevation 947 Table Rock Dam would be at its maximum capacity and water would be at the very top of the dam. The auxiliary spillway would be brought online, in concert with Table Rock’s fully opened floodgates. This catastrophic or "last resort" protocol releases 1 million CFS of lake waters into Taneycomo and deals dreadful destruction to Branson, Hollister, Point Lookout and possibly the Powersite Dam. At this point there is a danger of water over-topping the concrete dam and breaching the earthen structure, which imminently leads to cataclysmic structural failure and the uncontrolled release of the Table Rock Lake impoundment—nearly 3 million CFS of water.

Historical facts: Table Rock Lake has a record crest of 935.47 feet, which occurred on April 27, 2011.

In December 2015, the dam released 72,000 CFS at its peak. This is the highest amount ever released.'

As of May 23rd, the water levels were at;

Click to enlarge

Now while the smallest impounded Lake (Beaver) was doing OK, her two downstream neighbors were carrying a bit of a load. The biggest worry being Bull Shoals, currently at 693 feet or just two feet below flood pool levels. Note that 'flood pool' as defined by Law Insider reads;

30 (24) “Flood pool elevation” means the maximum water surface elevation of a reservoir, equal to the elevation of the spillway.

This is the point at which a dam would be forced to start discharging 'against the will of those in control'. (Note that the Table Rock Dam level is at 926 feet with their flood pool set at 931 feet - That's 4 feet away)! Also note that when were are talking about the height of a body of water, we are referring to msl or height above mean sea level.

So, even though the coming week of rain only equals about an inch, the water game is certainly getting a bit dicey, to say the least!

DanO's Place! A concept!

DanO's Place in Forsyth MO. A twenty first century concept in Bar/Grill establishments! 

Talk about low places that are also small. I give you DanO's Bar and Grill! A 900 square foot enterprise that boasts a small grill serving up dogs, burgers and chips along with an assortment of drinks and brews intended for a local crowd!

This '21 Century concept bar' has a focus on being very efficient in terms of heating and cooling costs via limited space that only allows for fewer than twenty four patrons at one time. The interior is open with a micro-bar that seats 12 with tables that seat twelve diners.

This is my concept of 'winning' bar and eatery establishments going forward....

A younger Bernie in a more true form!

Feeling the burn as a younger Bernie Sanders was just a tiny bit racist. And, still is, for all anyone knows!